Mason Dixon Line.
The Missouri Compromise of 1820.
The 1820 Missouri Compromise.
36'30
Missouri Compromise
North 36 degrees 30 minutes
After the Missouri Compromise of 1820, there were essentially two designated slave territories: Missouri, which was admitted as a slave state, and Arkansas Territory (which later became Arkansas). The compromise aimed to maintain the balance between free and slave states, allowing slavery in Missouri while prohibiting it north of the 36°30' parallel, except for Missouri itself. Thus, the compromise established a clear boundary for the expansion of slavery in the western territories.
The Mississippi river forms the boundary between Missouri and Illinois!
missouri river
In 1820, the Missouri Compromise allowed for the admission of Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, maintaining the balance between free and slave states. Additionally, the compromise established a boundary (36°30′ parallel) for future territories, permitting slavery in areas south of this line and prohibiting it north of it, except for Missouri. While no specific territories were officially added in 1820, this legislation had significant implications for the future admission and governance of territories in the expanding United States.
Missouri River BasinThe Missouri River starts in Montana and flows through North and South Dakota, forms the boundary between Nebraska and Iowa and part of the boundary between Kansas and Missouri, and flows through Missouri to the Mississippi River.
The Missouri Compromise of 1820 included provisions such as admitting Missouri as a slave state, Maine as a free state, and establishing a boundary line at the 36°30′ parallel to determine the status of slavery in future territories. However, it did not include any specific measures for the abolition of slavery in existing slave states or any mandates for the treatment of enslaved individuals. Additionally, it did not address the broader issues of slavery beyond the territories of Missouri and Maine.
The Missouri River forms a boundary between the states of Missouri and Kansas. It serves as a natural border in the region, particularly in the area around the Kansas City metropolitan area. Additionally, it also acts as a boundary between Missouri and Nebraska at its northern end.